In the aerospace context, a catapult is a device that is used to launch aircraft from a runway or a deck of an aircraft carrier. Catapults use a mechanical force to accelerate the aircraft to takeoff speed, allowing it to become airborne without the need for a long runway.
There are several different types of catapults that can be used in the aerospace industry, including steam catapults, hydraulic catapults, and electric catapults. Steam catapults use high-pressure steam to generate the mechanical force needed to launch the aircraft, while hydraulic catapults use hydraulic fluid to power a piston that propels the aircraft. Electric catapults use an electric motor to generate the mechanical force needed to launch the aircraft.
Catapults are used in a variety of applications, including on aircraft carriers, where they allow aircraft to take off from a relatively small deck, and on land-based runways, where they can be used to launch heavy or oversized aircraft. They are an important component of military and civilian aviation, and they have been used to launch a variety of aircraft, including fighters, bombers, and transport aircraft.
Catapults are generally not used to launch satellites into space. Satellites are typically launched into orbit using rocket propulsion systems, which provide the high speeds and energy needed to escape the Earth's gravity and reach orbit.
Catapults are used to launch aircraft from the ground or from the deck of an aircraft carrier, and they are not designed to provide the extreme speeds and energy needed to reach orbital velocities. Satellites typically require speeds of around 7.8 kilometers per second (17,500 mph) to reach low Earth orbit, which is much higher than the speeds that can be achieved using a catapult.
There are other methods that are used to launch small satellites into orbit, including the use of small, dedicated launch vehicles and the use of piggyback rides on larger rockets. However, these methods also rely on rocket propulsion systems to provide the necessary speed and energy to reach orbit.
There is an exception, where small satellites are launched by a huge catapult designed by Satellite Applications Catapult.